The issue suddenly became more than hypothetical Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, giving states the go-ahead to legalize betting on sports.

The justices voted 6-3 to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 law that forbade state-authorized sports gambling (with some exceptions). New Jersey challenged the law, which made Nevada the only state where someone could wager on the results of a single game.

"The legalization of sports gambling requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make," Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. wrote for the majority. "Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each state is free to act on its own."

Many states have hoped that their cut of legalized sports gambling revenue could help solve budget problems. Stock prices for casino operators and equipment makers surged after the decision was announced. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally wager about $150 billion on sports each year, and one research firm estimated before the ruling that if the Supreme Court were to strike down the law, 32 states probably would offer sports betting within five years.

Kasich spokesman Jim Lynch said, "Expanding gambling has not been a priority for this administration, and that remains unchanged. We’re aware of the ruling and looking to see what impact it will immediately have on Ohio policies."

DeWine, Ohio’s attorney general, also is not a fan. DeWine has consistently opposed an expansion of gambling in Ohio, and sports betting is no exception, said campaign spokesman Joshua Eck.

Cordray sees the tax revenue that could be generated by legal sports betting as a source of cash to help local governments, which have experienced significant cuts in state aid over the past decade.

"Given today’s ruling, the Cordray-(Betty) Sutton administration would consider supporting legislation to legalize sports betting and move it out of the shadows and the black market so it can be regulated and used to generate revenue to invest in our communities," said campaign spokesman Michael Gwin.

Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, says he believes sports betting should be considered as potentially beneficial to the state’s casinos and the state government’s bottom line, particularly with its potential to generate taxes for local governments.

"The (U.S.) Supreme Court ruling isn’t the only thing to consider here. The Ohio Constitution generally prohibits gambling, outside of the lottery, charitable bingo and the four voter-approved casinos. Our members are always open to a thorough debate, but it’s not clear the state Constitution would allow an expansion," said Senate GOP spokesman John Fortney.

The parent company of Hollywood Casino Columbus — Penn National Gaming — indicated Monday that it is interested in pursuing sports betting in Ohio. It also owns Hollywood Casino Toledo.

"We are pleased with today’s decision by the Supreme Court to strike down the federal ban on sports betting, which will let states individually consider allowing its citizens to bet on sports in a safe and regulated manner," Penn National said in its statement.

"Sports betting could be another amenity at our Hollywood properties and help generate additional visitation to the properties, as well as drive incremental tax revenue for Ohio. We welcome the opportunity to discuss legal sports betting with legislators in Columbus and other key stakeholders."

A spokeswoman for the Ohio Casino Control Commission, which oversees the state’s four casinos, said the panel was "still digging through" the ruling. Commission spokeswoman Jessica Franks added, though, that any action on the commission’s part would be "down the road" and dependent on whether the state legislature moves to allow and regulate sports betting in Ohio.

"Should it come to us, we will regulate it with same integrity as we regulate the existing casino business in Ohio," Franks said.

Ohio horse-racing track owners probably also would be interested in expanding sports betting. In the past several years, they have added slots-like video lottery terminals. A spokeswoman for El Dorado Scioto Downs on the South Side did not respond to a request for comment.

The Ohio Lottery Commission, which regulates racinos, said: "Any expansion of gambling of in Ohio will need to be a policy decision of the General Assembly and the administration."

Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the NBA expressed alarm at the potential impact of betting on the integrity of their sports, The Associated Press reported.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who has long favored opening pro basketball to gambling, said, "We remain in favor of a federal framework that would provide a uniform approach to sports gambling in states that choose to permit it, but we will remain active in ongoing discussions with state legislatures."